The soul-rocker recognized that human brains are like computers, so she knew she had to reprogram hers. She achieved that by playing a recording of herself saying positive affirmations before going to sleep each night, she said.
The main affirmation she repeated was: “I’m a singer that travels all around the world.”
The East Wilmington native shed everything from her life that was negative, she said, and holding her back.
Another strategy she embraced to fight her addiction was fasting, she said, to reset “her rewards system.”
Her goal was to perform at as many open mics as she could in Delaware and the tri-state area with her longtime friend James “Jimi Church” Pollard, a guitarist living in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.
Jimi Church and Nitra rehearsed in Pennsylvania at Zion Baptist Church of Ardmore, where Jimi’s dad is the pastor, the Rev. Dr. James Pollard Sr.
In 2020, while rehearsing for an open-mic night, Nitra became frustrated after Jimi kept trying to show her a new guitar lick he was experimenting with.
“She was like, ‘Come on, let’s just stay focus, we have work to do’ I said, ‘No, we’re gonna take time and let this marinate.’ So I kept strumming.”
As Nitra became more annoyed, Jimi Church said he started singing: “I’m on a soul journey / I’m on a train, here I go.”
Nitra stopped dead in her tracks.
“I’m just like, ‘Wow, this is deep.’ This song says everything about what I’ve just experienced in my life,” Nitra said, adding she believed this song was a sign from “the universe.”
It took Jimi Church and Nitra about 30 minutes to knock out this song, “Train.”
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While she was driving back to Delaware, Nitra got stuck in Philly traffic and was playing a demo of the song in her car.
“I’m driving down the street and this couple pulls up. They’re like, ‘What are you listening to?’ [I say,] ‘This is called ‘’Train.’’ And they’re like, ‘Where can we get it?’ I say, ‘It’s not out yet. But it will be out,’” Nitra explained.
When the couple drove off, Nitra received another supernatural sign, she said: “Guess what was on their license plate? 777.”
Spiritually, the number 7 is said to mean perfection or completion.
Message from Phil Collins
In 2020, Nitra used the pandemic to her advantage to create new music videos and a new album, “Unearthed,” which she dropped in 2021”
The album release party was in April at the newly opened House of Laffs in Wilmington.
By summer, Nitra landed a manager and a new band. She and the band went on a regional tour for a chunk of the season. When the tour ended, she found herself back home in Middletown feeling down and stuck, she said.
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One day, she put on her headphones, slipped on her roller skates and skated around Middletown. She skated down a hill unable to stop.
She fell, and, “I’m crying hysterically.”
“The next thing that I hear in my ear is, ‘Girl, stop your crying, it’ll be all right,’” Nitra remembered. ‘It was Phil Collins’ ‘You’ll Be in My Heart.’”
She said hearing Collins’ message in her headphones was another sign.
Nitra continued listening to Collins while limping back home. When she checked her email, the soul-rocker said she noticed a random message that “American Song Contest” was looking for potential contestants with original music.
She submitted “Train” and the rest was history.
Nitra said she thinks she was discovered by the show because she was pumping out new music videos and music throughout the pandemic, which made it easier for people to find her.
“I put my heart and my soul into everything,” she said. “When you do all of that, it’s going to attract.”
A ‘sleeper’ on the show
“American Song Contest” is an eight-week competition (now in its second week) that highlights original music. It features 56 vocalists, one per U.S. state and territory.
The show, inspired by the popular “Eurovision Song Contest,” includes famous singers Siquó (representing Maryland), Jewel (Alaska), Michael Bolton (Connecticut) and Macy Gray (Ohio), along with rising, lesser-known talents.
Nitra’s personal manager, Leanne McNamee, owner of SoulShyne Entertainment, is confident her friend/client will show out on “American Song Contest” because she’s magnetic.
“As she walks in the room, even if your back is to the door, you’re going to know she’s there. She just has a special element about her,” McNamee, of Delco, explained. “She’s going to go all the way on the show. I have a feeling she’s going to be the sleeper that nobody was expecting.”
Nitra said she’s going to perform “Train” on the show.
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The singer has continued to say positive affirmations that she’s an international performer.
She has remained sober over the last few years, she said.
Being on “American Contest” is deeper than just a competition for the singer. Getting a chance to appear on the show means she’s pursuing her dream of singing, which the angel-like creator instructed her to do in 2018, she explained.
“It’s not just about winning a musical show,” Nitra said. “This is about winning within myself, overcoming my own fears, overcoming my own insecurities and being the best version of me.”
NBC’s “American Song Contest” airs every Monday at 8 p.m. For more info, visit nbc.com
Andre Lamar is the features/lifestyle reporter. If you have an interesting story idea, email Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com
